Today, the Tamil nationalism articulated by Seeman has evolved into a significant political force, attracting a large group of youth who are actively participating in it. However, the truth is that we have yet to fully grasp Seeman’s true role in the political landscape.
Seeman directly secured less than ten percent of the votes in elections, and he has not won a single panchayat election. Nonetheless, his influence is evident in the pressure he has placed on other political parties. The DMK should have engaged more seriously with the radical Tamil nationalism that Seeman promotes.
All forms of linguistic and cultural nationalism are considered destructive from a communist perspective. Today, communist MP Su. Venkatesan discusses a more radical form of Tamil nationalism than that presented by Seeman.
Every political party today has felt the impact of Seeman in some capacity. Another relevant political ideology is Hindutva, which also needs to address Seeman’s political stance. Even Islamic politics has echoes of Seeman’s rhetoric.
I contend that Seeman effectively shapes the political discourse today, as he stands as the prominent opinion leader in the current political climate. This underscores the necessity of Seeman’s portrayal of Tamil pride in today’s context.
You ask whether those who advocate for Tamil pride truly understand Tamil history and culture. The reality is that many have grown up without this knowledge. Tamil national politics aims to raise awareness and educate them. As Tamil pride develops, the achievements of Tamils will gradually come to light.
Your speech highlighting the cultural victories of Tamils is significant in this context. In summary, you have covered everything essential. I concur that we should avoid exaggeration and instead focus on presenting the truth.
Exaggeration can sometimes occur in political discourse. However, Tamil nationalists do not engage in this practice. It is the other parties that tend to exaggerate, believing that Tamil nationalism must be countered and that they need to amplify their narratives.
R. Kaviyamudhan
